When it came time to install recessed lights in the living-room ceiling, the promised drop cloths for the furniture had not yet been purchased. So instead of catching the plaster dust and debris when they hit the floor, I decided to trap the stuff closer to the action.
I marked the center of each light fixture with an 8d nail driven through the drywall ceiling. Then I used masking tape to affix a plastic grocery bag to the ceiling. As shown in the drawing, the bag caught the dust and the cutout before they had a chance to foul up the house.
Elaine Ferguson, Ojai, CA
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #85
